Mission Request Process

Local Civil Air Patrol squadrons cannot self-approve to deploy on emergency services operations.

If you have a mission request for search and rescue or other immediate life-saving missions (blood/organ/tissue transport), please contact the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) at 1-800-851-3051.

The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center will assess the request and assign the most appropriate resource. AFRCC often assigns CAP in its capacity as the United States Air Force Auxiliary to fulfil these requests. However, if another federal resource is more appropriate or timelier, AFRCC may choose to assign that resource instead. These operations are funded by the Air Force, and requestors will not receive a request for reimbursement from CAP.

If you have a request for operational support that is not for search and rescue or immediate life-saving efforts, you must request resources through CAP’s National Operations Center. This includes disaster relief efforts such as shelter and points of distribution staffing, aerial imagery for damage assessments, etc. Local government entities may also request Civil Air Patrol assistance through the State of Texas Assistance Request (STAR) system.

Requests to CAP’s National Operations Center can be called to 888-211-1812 ext. 300 or emailed to opscenter@capnhq.gov. Emailed requests should use the sample request form here as an example. The National Operations Center will follow-up on your request to determine the mission parameters, reimbursement considerations, and resource prioritization.

The process of requesting resources through CAP’s National Operations Center is significantly more efficient for organizations that have an operational memorandum of understanding (MOU) with CAP.